Writing as a skill

Some of us consider writing a book someday, others – put all the efforts into creating their blog, but all of us are united with one everyday habit – posting and writing captions on IG. And while blogging happens not so often (I’d say once or twice a week according to my schedule), the necessity to compose a new caption each day drove me crazy not so long ago.

I must say it’s a hell of a skill to force oneself write every day no matter how many words must be born. The hardest part lays in the inventing a new topic to discuss. As for me, I want it always to be raw, engaging and catchy. I want my readers to feel me in my every post, to understand me better, to get acquainted closer, to become a part of my diary. I consider my every text as a new page of my life diary because I spill the thoughts I live with, and it’s very personal to me.

Everything I did to nurture my skill was a shot in the dark. I tried and failed and succeed. I paid my attention to what other bloggers do, I googled topics to discuss, I learned how to build a rapport with my followers and how to withhold it. I spent my days on Pinterest and thought about what I want to tell my audience tomorrow while retiring for the night. It was the one thing I can’t wrap my head around, and finally, something inside me just snapped.

I don’t know what I will write about, what the main idea I’m going to put into my post until I put my hands over the keyboard. Sounds like a magical interference but it’s not. I guess this is how the human brain works when you spend most of the time on working on the particular idea, improving the skill. It’s a brain resolution for the obsession. Time passes, and it just happens. Of course, there are always times for writing block, but I know how to fight it.

I have 4 rules to establish my writing skill. Here they are.

WRITE EVERY DAY

To create a skill of writing, I created a habit first. As I said, it doesn’t matter how many words you will spill on the paper (or in a file). The only thing that matters is a constant repetition of the same task. Make it a habit your brain can’t live without, the first thing you sincerely want to do in the morning. Enjoy this habit, embrace it. And of course, try to pay attention to what you are writing. You will notice how your texts evolve in the course of time.

ESTABLISH ROUTINE

This rule helps to create a proper attitude to the skill of writing. I wanted to feel this skill not a kind of pastime or amusement. Otherwise, I’d let myself skip writing from time to time hence breaking the ‘write every day’ rule. I considered it’s a job though. And every job implies routine like preparing the workspace, brewing coffee or tea, burn a candle, setting up the time to stick to business with no distractions, etc. Moreover, it helps my folks to take my writing seriously and respect my solitude request for the set time.

CREATE A SWIPE FILE

This is a file where I put all my writing ideas those could appear any time. It must always be on hand to be reached fast. I use a note app on my iPhone. Once a week I check my records and put them in order. Most of the time it presents random scraps of my thoughts, overheard talks, favorite phrases, expressions, and quotes from the books. Simply put, everything I find handy for my writing. But the main idea of it is to create 3, 4, 5 topics ahead you want to write about. It’s your writing plan that could be scheduled.

UNPLUG AT LEAST FOR A DAY A WEEK

I know this rule contradicts the ‘write every day’ rule but as soon as you find the harmony between two of them it all will make sense. I must say that the ‘unplug’ rule is good on its own, not only for writing. We should have a day off from all the devices and social media to reboot and feel the life around. So it’s not a surprise I put it in here. My day is Sunday. I allow myself to be the laziest animal in the world on this day. This works as a part of ‘routine’ rule as well. You don’t work 7 days a week, right? (I hope you don’t.) So it makes you crave for the day off during the week and hence be conscious of weekdays. Otherwise, the whole week will merge into one very long day.

Establishing and following these rules helped me a lot in my writing. I hope it’ll be as handy for you. Got any questions? I’m happy to answer whatever I can! Grab me in the comments below or swing by my IG and shoot me a DM.